All by myself - I'm a fashion killer

Don't wanna live...all by myself. (remember that song?)

But I am tonight as Pablo the Poolboy is reverse commuting to our "south" place. He's on an audit of the USDA program at their offices in Bedford and Corning, so he gets to sleep in our bed in Creston tonight. Home alone with our kitty, Samantha the nearly 19 year-old panther.

Leaving me alone at the loft. With Odie. It's been a while since I've spent a night alone - I'm not sure I know what to do! I took advantage of the solo shopping time. After work, I cruised out to Valley West Mall. Paul is a good sport about shopping, but I just don't shop the same when he's with me as I do alone. I tend to hurry with him. By myself I can take my time, and think...and look stuff over good.

Von Maur shoes - sale room, purse section (Dooney and Bourke doncha know), then on to clothing. I loved this display of scarves. Alas I can't buy or wear any. I'm doing it for you, women of America. You see, I'm a fashion killer. You see...once I buy a scarf - they'd be passe in weeks. That's the kind of power I have.

I'm sure I'd be adorable in these...but I must avoid them

I believe I'm solely responsible for putting an end to petal pushers in the early 1970s. I got a cute pair in 8th grade, and that was the end of that trend! They didn't appear again until Capri's hit the scene in recent years...I just can't pull the trigger on wearing scarves.


After Von Maur, it was on to The Gap, Eddie Bauer and Younkers. The fashions aren't calling to me so far this season. I did enjoy a walk through Fit to be Tied - the great shoe store at Valley West. Last but not least, I went to Calypso. Such a fun store!

I got several of these when I worked with household hazardous waste - price here $50

I love magnets! I'm old, but I've seen a lot of cool bands!

How I'm living my life in Des Moines - I only have a kitchen because it came with the loft...

After my whole shopping route, I did come away empty handed. That's okay. I like just knowing what's available.

I'm glad Paul will be home tomorrow. I need to come up with a place for us to try tomorrow night! 

Snappy marital repartee

for those of you who aren't into vocabulary, the word means "banter". Paul and I traded texts yesterday that kept me smiling internally all day. Ya see I appreciate cleverness - even if it's my own, but especially when it comes from others close to me.
Paul tried to talk me into coming home Tuesday night from Des Moines - I kept trying to justify it, but felt I needed to be at the office Wednesday morning after being out Tuesday all day at a meeting. Plus I had dropped a glove at Valley West Mall last week (I hoped it was at Joan's but no such luck).

It when like this: I had a wild hair and sent this text to Paul yesterday a.m.
If loving you is wrong, I don't wanna be right....but I must stay here tonight for operation glove rescue at Valley West Mall. And work.

He sent back:
Nice line. now i know i rank just below gloves.

And I said:
you're above mittens though!

He said:
Whew!

Now that's funny! We're good together - he and I, even after all these years. He gets me. And when I start treating him badly - taking him for granted, he finally snaps and treats me badly back so I snap out of it. And when he gets all into himself hunting and watching the Packers, I get bitchy and he figures out that he should be sorry. Give and take - that's what marriage is all about.

In our house there is very little yelling and few angry words - at least directed at each other. I grew up with some of that, and learned I don't much like conflict. Of course I am 53 now and occasionally can be provoked at work or a sporting event - too little estrogen left to oppose all the testosterone I suppose. Or, perhaps it's all those years of squelching my true feelings - all those times I wanted to say, "hell no I don't want to clean up after the men at work and get paid $.50 to their $1.00." But didn't. My muffler slips off every once in a while. But not usually with my beloved Pablo the Poolboy.

I did go on my Glove seach mission - no luck. So I bought a new pair and returned to Joan's place in Waukee. When I popped open my computer and took a look at the weather I saw that today may hold some freezing rain. Crap! I thought it over while I ate supper, and Joan came in. Then I made the break - around 7:45 PM I headed for Creston. Paul got his way after all - and he ranks above those gloves after all!

Bra Dept Biatchs

I stopped at Younkers tonight - needed a new brassiere. One with padding - not something I usually go for, but when I dress up, I like to look like I actually have breasts.

So I stopped at Valley West. First I tried on a few more dresses. Don't tell Pablo but I may have to purchase just one more. The black one a bought, after being altered, just looks more like a funeral dress. Oops. Found a sale dress for $59 and looked at some scarves/shawl pashmina type thingys. Didn't purchase.

Instead, I decided to go upstairs to the undies department to check out the bras. I only have one good one. Otherwise, needing little support for my booblets, as I've explained before, I wear bra-lets.

When I entered the area, the salespeople were busy gushing over a new type of bra they'd just gotten in - showing it to a customer. They glanced up at me - evidently sizing me up at the same time. I came up short. In the cup. They didn't bother to speak to me again while I walked around obviously looking for something I wasn't finding.

In the past Younkers has had an "Almost A" cup bra - product that I liked. But I can't find it anywhere! And I wasn't having any luck there. In the meantime more customers came in - and the saleswomen continued to enthuse over the new bra that "puffed you up two sizes". I guess you had to be a size to start with...sigh. A customer came out with it on, and the others drooled and clapped. I left.

And went to Penney's where they were doing construction and people left me alone. I didn't find Almost A, but but hey an A fit me just fine. I even tried it on! I also got a sports bra and some kinda Bermuda athletic shorts.

Didn't go back and get the dress, but hey I'll be back next week.

My boss Al and I went to lunch today - I think he wants to share his knowledge before he retires. It was nice. I'll miss the guy - think I would have really become good friends with him had I had a chance to work with him for a long time.

Jud called me while I drove home from the mall - he had a medical question. I was concerned as he hadn't done laundry last weekend. I texted him to say "don't become the BO guy nobody wants to work by!" and to say at least go buy more polo shirts! He told me tonight he did laundry, so I will be able to quit obsessing about it. Phew!

Dancing with the Stars is really the only reality show I can stand.
I think The Good Wife is the best show in TV right now - great characters! Gotta go it's coming on.

Banana rama cha ching

Stopped at the mall today on my way back to Joan's place. Joan is on vaca and there is nobody home. It's lonely and there is no reason to rush here. I worked until 5 PM - it was a long one - but I did get my review from my boss Al. I got good grades Mom!

I spent my time at Valley West Mall cruising through Von Maur Department Store, Banana Republic, The Gap and my fave Calypso. I would like to say this about Gap and Calypso - Yikes - your prices are too high for me! A button down collar shirt for $59? Really (said in best Saturday Night Live voice). A drapey shawl at Banana Republic $69? Realllly? It's like all those stores just waited to jack their prices up.

Von Maur had some sweet shoes and sandals, and I found a shawl on sale that might look good with my new dress. Didn't get it yet though - since I have time to shop around in coming weeks. Need to find that perfect dress for the LA wedding too. I think Pablo said something about getting new shoes (hiking boots) from Cabelas via UPS today...hmmm and he says I'm the one with all the shoes.

Tale of 2 shoppin' trips

The day after shopping with my buddy Deb, I met my young son to purchase the clothes he needs for his internship (see the braggy blog from a few months back when I talk about how he landed a cushy internship at John Deere) at Jordan Creek. He's kind of a shopping snob and doesn't usually like to go to Valley West - my fave shopping grounds.

But we were shopping for him - it was all about the Judster. I was at a meeting when he texted to say he was leaving Ames, around 11ish Friday a.m. Surprising since he'd partied after a rough week of finals - 3 on Thursday!

We started by eating. When Deb and I met the day before, we had a leisurely lunch at Jason's Deli with more chatting than chewing (ha - does that remind you of Van's Chat and Chew in Atlantic?). With Jud - we headed to the food court and got Chick-Fil-A sannies. We chewed quickly and chatted a little.

Then we headed to those stores where boys his age buy a lot of clothes - he ended up getting shorts to replace some shorts he says he got mayo on that won't come out. Those aren't for the job of course. My boy stays pretty traditional - they're tan.

Then it was off to Younkers to look for work clothes. There he tried on lots of basic chinos, before I found some supposedly athletic fit no iron Izod brand that fit him in a way he approved. We got navy and a buff color. He says the ones he has are tan. He says Friday's at JD are jeans day. He may need to buy another pair - I tried to talk him into gray, but for now he's sticking with these. Also got a slate blue polo. He's got several colors already.

We headed to the shoe area. Younkers was woefully understaffed here - there were some he would have tried on, but nobody to help. So we checked out, once the checker looked up at the are near the door. This was a theme this week - staff everywhere but nobody available to take my $$!?! We looked at shoes at several places and ended up with some Timberland slipons at Dillards. I like them.

Finished with a long sleeve shirt at Aeropostle and then we headed for home. In other words we were all business! There was no camaraderie - chit chatting, back and forth examination of styles. That's okay though - this is my kid. It was a good outing and we got accomplished what we needed to. And through the years we've spent very little on him for clothes - especially post high school when he didn't need new sports shoes every season.

Now he's home for a couple nights before he heads to Moline for the big day - Monday when he starts. He'll live in a motel the first couple weeks - then he moves into the dorm at St. Ambrose University. There are something like 60 interns from across the country in the program at this site, so it will be quite the deal! He's gonna learn a lot from this experience - and shopping with Mom was just the start.